"Really?" Bora gasped. "You're learning quadratics already?"

Danny nodded and closed the front door as Bora stepped inside, it had been a long day and he was quite down in the dumps after accompanying Bora to the doctors again today after school. 

"Yeah," Danny shrugged as he bent down to untie his shoelaces. "Mr. Im said he wanted to give me a heads up for grade 10 math next year, since he thinks I'm already advanced for my age."

"Thats great Danny boy!" She cheered. She threw her hands over his bent down shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "I'm glad to hear you're doing so well so far. Just let me know if anything gets too difficult."

"Alright," He nodded. He checked his watch to make sure it wasn't getting too late. "Are you doing okay? The doctor said you should start taking walks around the neighborhood. Did you want to go soon? I can join you if you'd like!"

"No no no!" She smiled sincerely. "I don't mind walking alone, I like having the time to think. You can stay at home while I walk around for an hour or so."

"Alright..." He mumbled. He was unsure if he was comfortable with his weak-immune sister, who had be diagnosed with a severe case of Adrenouleukodystropy (ALD). Where one's body slowly begins to shut down, she had been doing quite well but over the years it had been more difficult for her to run. He had taken note of her new weaknesses and hoped she would be able to live until she was wedded. But after the summer, when their family had to bring her to the hospital every year to meet with Dr. Leung on her birthday, he announced that she would be able to live for a year, maybe even two if she were lucky enough. "Are you..sure?

"Yes!" She nodded eagerly. "I'll be fine, no worries okay?"

Danny gave his cheery sister an exaggerated smile and she responded in kind. "Fine, just be careful okay? And dont go too far! Oh, and make sure to bring your phone fully charged."

"Why dont we just invest in a tracking device while we're at it..." Bora joked but was soon worried at the fact he had began to take things somewhat seriously and she wasnt sure if he was really playing with her anymore.

"I've asked our parents, they just ordered one. Should be coming in this week or next week." He mused with the best straight face he could conjure. "But for now we need you to carry your phone fully charged okay?"

Danny stood there silently as his sister began blinking at him innocently in shock. He tried his best but failed ultimately when he doubled over laughing at her worried face. "I was just kidding, we dont care that much."

"Hey!" She huffed playfully at his comment. She giddily pushed his shoulder and walked over to the living room with Danny following close behind. They both took a seat on the clean white leather couch. "Thats mean!"

"I'm joking," He chuckled. "We love you, so please be safe okay?"

"Okaaay!" She sighed. "I will!"

 

 

It was quite cold for a late summer evening, Bora left the house around 5 and began to stretch her legs around the park about 15 minutes down the street. It was a far walk but it didnt matter to her, the longer the better; she just wanted to get back home in time for dinner at 7pm. Bora loved having alone time, even if she seemed so peppy and cheery around others, she was glad to have time to think about life and her future. 

Her future was filled with a glorious wedding with white roses on every table along with a beautiful white gown that trailed against the floor as she walked down the aisle to meet with her husband-to-be, but seeing as how she would probably live only a year or two, she really doubted she'd get that far. Instead she thought of how her life would be by then, she wanted to try working at an ice cream parlor at the beach, she wanted to read her favourite book one more time, Bora dreamed of dancing in the rain with her high school sweet heart and even sharing her first kiss on her first date. Bora wanted all those things and more, even if the odds were against her, she knew better; Baek Bora held her hope close and believed in miracles. 

"Excuse me?" An old man called out as he stood in front of her. She was brought back to reality and scolded herself for falling into her bad habit of losing herself. She smiled at the wrinkled man and focused on his shivering hands. "Here is a flyer for the new kimchi house just five minutes away from here, I hope you have a chance to try it out miss!"

"T-Thank you Halbeoji," She smiled and held onto the small sheet tightly, scared it would fly right out of her hands. "Are you cold?"

"N-No, Its alright miss," He smiled sweetly. Bora imagined him working late hours to support his family; him sitting at the dinner table with his grown children and their children and even his wife with old grey hairs and a wrinkled face just like his. She felt bad for the man and slipped off her white gloves. "I'll be fine dear."

"Here," Bora prodded, she slipped the gloves into his hands and held his hands firmly. "Please keep warm while you work, just a sweater is not enough. The nights have gotten quite cold these past few weeks now that summer is beginning to end. You shouldnt get sick Halbeoji." 

The man stared at the young girl and wondered what on earth was happening. Most people would take his flyer, look at it barely, scrunch it up and toss it onto the ground. He felt warm from her touch and felt a little ball of hope for the current generation. He believed that most kids now a days were rude and spoiled but Bora was quite the opposite. 

"God bless you dear," He placed his cold hands on her shoulder and she smiled at his gesture. "May you grow up well, with good health and a happy family. Please stay safe and get home safely."

"Thank you!" She nodded at his kind words, just as she was about to leave he pulled her back. "Is there something wrong?"

"Do you go to Yongshik High School?" He questioned. Bora looked puzzled and realized she was still wearing her school blazer along with her black leggings. She often forgot she was wearing her school jacket rather than her usual light brown parka with the fur hood. "My daughter's son goes there. I'll have him drop off your gloves for you tomorrow alright? And maybe you could join us for dinner if you have the chance. We don't live that far from this area but a little far from the school."

Bora marveled at the sweet old man before her, she thought about his offer and even though she didnt live that close to this area and it would be quite the walk back home after she still agreed to go out of kindness. She never turned down an invitation. 

"I'd love to join you," She answered finally. She told him her room number, Classroom 3B, and began walking home. "Thank you for today and get home safely!"

The man waved goodbye and stared at her retreating figure. That girl restored his hope in today's generation and wished that his grandson would shape himself to be somewhat like that perfect girl he'd just met. 

 

 

Bora walked for a few minutes, letting her feet guide her. She smiled at her lovely new acquaintance. She thought about her list once again, the list she made the day she learned she was diagnosed with ALD, she pulled it out of her bag and read it over; the 'Dream Pond' she called it. When she was younger, her mother told her that it was okay and that her life was like a pond, it was filled with flies and she was the only frog. She could give each of those flies a dream or goal and once she ate all the flies she'd be happy and full for the rest of her life no matter how long or short it would be. She had believed her words at that age but growing up she truly did grasp her mother's wisdom behind those words.

 

 

My Dream Pond

 

1. Dye my hair

2. Learn to ride a bike

3. Finish personal photo album*

4. Work in an ice cream parlor by the beach

5. Get good grades

6. Raise money for health research

7. Raise money for Leung Hospital

8. Create 1000 paper cranes

9. Make 10000 paper stars

10. Help out at animal shelter

11. Make people someone smile

12. Take care of family*

13. Watch over my Danny boy

14. Write 'that' letter

15. Share a kiss under a blanket of stars

16. Have an amazing first date

17. First kiss

18. Meet my prince charming*

Yes, all her wishes were quite simple minded, but she believed that if she would be leaving this world so soon she'd want to make it a better place and try to help out others as much as she could by being optimistic, helping out at shelters, and raising money. With a little bit of her 'firsts' here and there to add a little progression into her life. How could she pass on without having her first date let alone her first kiss? No. Not happening!

She remembered writing this list as she cried her eyes out, she dreaded leaving everyone she loved behind. She wished that her illness would magically disappear but no matter how much she prayed or hoped she knew it wasn't going away anytime soon. She soon began living life to the fullest instead of being woeful and just hoping it'd be cured. She knew what was coming her way and she wanted to face it head on when the time came, she decided to live everyday as if it were her last.

Bora began tearing up but was once again brought back to reality, she listened as a large brown dog began barking at her feet. It appeared that she had stepped on its tail, she felt bad and apologized repeatedly. Seeing as how the dog didnt attack her, she was happy it understood it was an accident. She saw a little bit of the canine's character and knew what to do. The dog was quite patient, kind, and smart to boot. Bora signaled him to follow her and led him, "Daehyun" she had named him after her snot nosed brother, to a shelter that she passed not too long ago.

As soon as she saw the building she began running and so did Daehyun. They reached the doors but it was after hours, Bora began to cough violently due to her exerting run. Daehyun sat at the bottom of her feet and simply stared at her in worry, She bent down and patted his head as soon as she stopped coughing. 

"I guess I'll have to bring you to the shelter first thing tomorrow before school," She spoke hoarsely. "Sorry about making you run here for no reason Daehyunnie."

The dog barked at his name happily and ran in circles around his new friend. Daehyun came to an abrupt stop and look past her. She questioned his strange behaviour and patted his back once more. He put his body weight on his front paws and stuck his back upwards in a warrior like pose. He barked vigorously and Bora began to worry, she turned to his direction and met eyes with a tall man who was a little over 3 meters away; he was nearing at a quick pace. By the looks of it, he had to be drunk to explain his wobbly but fast movements. Slowly two other men came from behind him and smirked at her. Daehyun's barked became even louder just as she got up Daehyun prodded her forward and soon she broke into a sprint along side her new companion. 

Just as she picked up her speed so did the other three men, she began to feel her lungs burn from the cold crisp air and eventually slowed down. Daehyun skidded to a stop a little farther away and ran back to her side. He pushed her legs with his nose and started to whine. He noticed the other men closing in and began barking again in alarm. Bora swung her head back and began coughing, she patted Daehyun's back and began running again, just as she turned back to check once more on the men's position she felt herself being grabbed into an alley way. Daehyun stopped running and followed her disappearing body. 

Before he could bark, the man his back and released Bora. Bora began coughing and the man placed his hands over in attempts to muffle her ruckus. The three men from behind her ran straight pass and a few seconds later the boy released his palm from . Daehyun panted in content that his new owner was safe and that they could get a short rest now that they weren't in danger anymore.

"Didn't your parents teach you not to roam around the streets of downtown alone?" The boy, roughly around her age scolded, "especially at this time? Are you stupid?!"

Bora forced her coughs down and tried to speak slowly, slightly thankful of the boy's help and at the same time angry at his words. Her head began to spin and she felt sick to her stomach. "Thank you, but for the record I am not stupid. Must you be so rude?"

"Rude?" He laughed incredulously. "Me? I just saved you."

Bora felt a rush of heat coat her face and realized she shouldn't have been so rude herself. "R-R-Right, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude either. Thank you sir!"

She bowed and just as she sprang back upwards he scoffed at her actions. "You talk so polite, its weird."

"I'm Baek Bora by the way," She smiled nervously, ignoring his last comment. She analyzed the boy's features; he was short but still taller than her by a few inches, he had wonderful dark brown eyes with brown hair to match. His shoulder's were slumped and he had horrible posture, seeing as he was slouched over and soon leaned against a near by fence. She could even see his dark circles that went far underneath his eyes, she wondered if he was having trouble sleeping but soon realized how weird her thoughts were getting. "Um, I guess I owe you one Sir."

"Its Baekhyun," He yawned. He threw his hands over his head and began walking away. "Dont be walking alone next time. See you around kiddo."

"W-Wait!" She exclaimed as she jogged up towards him, trying not to exert herself. He turned around lazily and stared at her with a slight scowl. "I'm in downtown?! I swear I was just around the Yongshik area a minute ago!"

"Around Yongshik High School?" He wondered. He questioned how a girl could lose herself and end up in the totally opposite direction. Then again, said girl was being chased by three men. It made sense to him. He shook his head and let out a big breath, his random act of kindness brought him more problems than he thought. His grandfather always said that helping other's was good and that it made one feel better. 

"Yes," She nodded tiredly. "Can you give me some directions please? I'm not too sure how to get back or even how I got here..."

Bora scolded herself on forgetting where she was and bothering a complete stranger at a time like this. She listened to him speak and nodded in understanding even if she didnt fully understand his instructions. She walked a little bit, leaving Baekhyun there, and pulled out her phone to check the time. Bora gasped loudly at the time and once again chided herself for not paying attention to her surroundings or time. It was 7:45pm and she had ten miss calls from her brother and eight from her mother. Baekhyun stared at her back and heaved out a long sigh of regret for choosing to help a helpless girl such as Baek Bora in the first place. He jogged over to her spot, which was the wrong direction, and offered to walk her home.

Bora had contemplated rejecting his offer but was embarrassed when he stated that she was headed the wrong direction. She sheepishly grinned at the male and accepted his help. Bora told him her address and he nodded, though he wasnt too familiar with the area, he hoped by the time he guided her towards it she'd be able to find her way.

"T-Thank you again Baekhyun-ssi," She mumbled. "I'm sorry for being such an inconvenience."

He nodded and continued walking in silence beside her small figure. He studied her closely, feeling some sort of need to familiarize himself with her. She had lengthy straight dark brown hair that reached the middle of her back just like most girls he knew, except they had black hair. She had light brown eyes, and was quite tall. Most girls were about 4"2 but she was around 5"0. As soon as she hit her street, she pulled on his sleeve. He hadnt realized he was still staring at her rather than the space ahead of him. 

"This is my street," She stated shyly. She released her grip and patted Daehyun's head before returning her attention to Baekhyun. "My house is over there, thank you very much Baekyun-ssi."

"N-No problem," He stuttered. He cursed under his breath and gave her a weak smile. As awkward as it probably was, Bora smiled back kindly and bowed before turning into her driveway. "B-Be safer next time."

"Bye now!" She waved as she neared her doorsteps. "Thanks again Baekhyun-ssi!"

He blushed at the sound of his voice but quickly brushed it off as he began walking back home which was a little bit of a far walk from her street. He groaned in annoyance but remembered her smiling face and suddenly he wasnt as bothered by it anymore. He stretched his arms as a yawn escaped and trudged home in a somewhat happy daze. 

"Who exactly was Baek Bora?" was the question he found himself asking with every lazy step he took towards his home.